mischievous

adjective

ˈmis-chə-vəs How to pronounce mischievous (audio)
Definition of mischievousnext
1
as in wicked
tending to or exhibiting reckless playfulness the children had been so mischievous that we had to pay the babysitter extra and then clean up the mess

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in naughty
engaging in or marked by childish misbehavior punished for their mischievous tricks on the neighbors

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in dangerous
causing or capable of causing harm mischievous gossip that ruined a good teacher's reputation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of mischievous Johnson, who a near decade ago was a bubbly ingenue on the brink of superstardom, has since developed a reputation for a certain cool-girl deadpan opacity, a kind of mischievous remove during press appearances. — Alessandra Codinha, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026 Isaiah’s aunt, Charlene, said in court this week that her 8-year-old nephew was mischievous, often sneaking food in the middle of the night. — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026 Elle Fanning stars as a wickedly mischievous Catherine, with Nicholas Hoult in the dual role of her husband, the petulant manchild Emperor Peter III, and his body double, Yemelyan Pugachev. — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Sep. 2026 Palestinian children could be ordinary children—bored, mischievous, happy, alive. — Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mischievous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mischievous
  1. wicked
  2. naughty
  3. dangerous
  4. playful
  5. bad
  6. harmful
  7. impish
  8. adverse
Adjective
  • The 19-year-old center is a powerful, high-end skater who scored eye-popping numbers in junior (62 goals in 65 games in his draft year), and has a wicked, elite release on his shot.
    — Harman Dayal, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Both family and colleagues spoke about her generosity, her friendship with every major designer on both sides of the Atlantic, her love of food, cats and fast cars, and a wicked sense of humor and strong tennis game.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of wicked
Adjective
  • The film’s naughty, not-quite-PG side is perfectly exemplified by its titular hero.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Romantic, criminal and naughty hijinks ensue and bonds are tested — and ultimately reinforced.
    — Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of naughty
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the financial clout of the industry has grown considerably, resulting in a new, more dangerous problem.
    — Kent Sepkowitz, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Attempting to de-escalate the scare, Rospotrebnadzor declared the regional sanitary situation stable after secondary testing showed no traces of dangerous pathogens linked to Shipilova’s research.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of dangerous
Adjective
  • Johnson, who previously hosted SNL in 2015 and again in 2020, appears in a playful new promo with the five-piece Baltimore hardcore band and comedian Ben Marshall.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Major brands including BaubleBar and Crocs are putting their own spin on football fandom with playful collaborations and unexpected finds.
    — Casey DelBasso, ABC News, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • Why is Indonesia experiencing its worst ever wildfire season?
    — TheWeek, TheWeek, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Interior designers and professional organizers say most kitchens hide usable square footage in plain sight, trapped behind clutter, bad habits and bulky gear that could be stored smarter or edited out entirely.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of bad
Adjective
  • Neon plans a 2027 theatrical release under the Creative Commons license for the open-source horror film based on a fictional secretive organization that keeps supernatural items and other harmful entities away from the public.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Executives from six major AI companies signed a one-page document pledging to monitor their models and prevent harmful uses such as hacking.
    — Brittney Melton, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of harmful
Adjective
  • The models in the film, meanwhile, run the spectrum from docile to diva — including Evangelista, who’s entreating the camera with an impish smile even while having a little fit backstage.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026
  • And yet the movie’s central storyline hints at writer-director Bassam Tariq’s inclination to subvert his own brooding-antihero saga, allowing room for unpredictability and the slightest whiff of impish irreverence.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of impish
Adjective
  • Retaliation is described as an adverse employment action connected to an activity protected by a law under its jurisdiction.
    — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Eating Sweetened Foods With Protein Eating protein alongside sugary snacks can help stabilize your blood sugar and minimize the spikes that lead to a host of adverse health effects.
    — Kelly Burch, Verywell Health, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of adverse

Browse Nearby Words

mischiefs
mischievous
mischievousness
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Cite this Entry

“Mischievous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mischievous. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

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